Advertising device



Dec. 8, 1964 c; L. BARNES ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Sept. 27, 1962 INVENTOR. CHESTER L. BARA/[S BY r ATTORNEYS United States Patent 5,159,937 ADVERTHSING DEVICE Chester L. Barnes, Kansas (lity, Mo assignor to 1.1 .1. Systems, Inc, Kansas City, Mo, a corporation of Missouri Filed Sept. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 226,530 4 Claims. (Cl. 419-139) This invention relates to advertising devices, and more particularly to such devices for displaying advertising and price indicia related to goods for sale in self-service and department stores.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a display device or shelf talker particularly adapted for use on or near shelves, counters, and display racks in stores for promoting'the sale of goods; to provide such a device which forcefully attracts the attention of a prospective buyer to particular items for sale; to provide such a device with which sales or technical information or suggestions as to the use of a product may be conveniently brought to the attention of a prospective buyer; to provide such a device wherein both price and other information regarding the product may be quickly and easily changed; and to provide such a device which is simple and inexpensive in construction and highly satisfactory for its intended purpose.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an advertising device embodying this invention and secured to a price moulding with a portion broken away to show an electric wire entering therein through a side wall.

FIG. 2 is a crosssectional view on an enlarged scale taken on a line 2-2 of FIG. I particularly showing a self-rolling tape having price indicia thereon and frictionally held in the device.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a card having advertising indicia thereon and adapted to form a removable part of the display device.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on a line 4-4 of FIG. 2 particularly showing a plurality of tapes maintained in side-by-side relation.

Referring to the drawings in more detail:

The reference numeral 1 generally indicates an advertising and price indicia display device embodying this invention. The device 1 is comprised of a housing 2 of flexible material, preferably a synthetic resin, for example, polyethylene. The housing 2 has a front wall 3, side walls 4 and 5 and upper and lower walls 6 and 7 respectively, said walls 4, 5, 6, and 7 defining a volume or space 8 therebetween. A transparent window 9 which is also preferably formed of a synthetic resin extends substantially across the face of said front wall 3 and has a flange 10 extending therearound contacting a flange 11 on the front wall 3 for mounting the window 9 in the front wall 3. A suitable adhesive 12 is applied between the respective flanges 10 and 11 for firmly supporting the window 9.

The housing upper and lower walls 6 and 7 respectively taper toward each other as they extend rearwardly of the housing front wall 3 and terminate at the rear edge 13 and 14 respectively thereof in outwardly extending hook members 15 and 16. The hook members 15 and .16 are adapted to be received respectively in upper and lower receiving grooves 17 and 18 of a price tag moulding 19 of the type commonly found extending along the front edges of shelves 2% in self-service grocery or department stores. The hook members 15 and 16 when 3,159,937. ?atented Dec. 8, 1964 ice engaged in the receiving grooves 17 and 18 removably support the device 1 with the front wall 3 thereof facing outwardly where it is easily seen by a prospective customer. The housing 2 and particularly the side walls 4 and 5 are resiliently deformable whereby the hook members 15 and 16 may be urged toward each other and then permitted to move away from each other to enter into proper engagement in the receiving grooves 17 and 18. It is to be understood that the housing 2 may be deformed in the same manner for removing the housing 2 from the mounding 19 when desired.

A plurality of elongated, self-rolling films or tapes 21 are of the type being at least partially translucent and each having a plurality of different price indicia 22 in spaced vertical positions therealong and of substantially the same height as the window 9. The tapes 21 are retained in the housing 2 in a manner hereinafter described.

A removable cage member 23 preferably of flexible synthetic resin similar to the housing 2 is located in the space 8 of the housing 2 and has a translucent front wall 24 normally adjacent the housing front wall 3 and an upper wall 25 and a lower wall 26 extending rearwardly thereof. The cage member upper and lower walls 25 and 26 are resiliently urged away from each other due to the resiliency of the cage material and are located respectively adjacent the housing upper and lower walls 6 and 7 as indicated in FIG. 2. The cage member front wall 24- has forwardly and vertically extending dividing strips 27 forming passageways 28 with the rear face 29 of the housing front wall 3. The passageways 23 respectively separate and guide the tapes 21 as indicated in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The tapes 21 are sandwiched and frictio-nally, slidably held at upper portions 30 and lower portions 31 therealong respectively between the housing upper wall 6 and cage upper wall 25 andbetween the housing lower wall 7 and the cage lower wall 26. Also, the inward taper of the walls 6 and 7 results in a forward pressure on the cage front wall 24 toward the housing front wall 3. The upper ends 32 and lower ends 33 of the respective tapes 21 are scrolled or spiralled upon themselves and positioned in the space 8 between the upper and lower walls of the housing and cage, FIG. 2. It is to be understood that when it is desired to change the indicia 22 which appears in the window 9, the device 1 is vertically deformed as described above for releasing same from the price tag moulding 19 and then the respective tapes 21 are grasped at either the upper or lower ends thereof and pulled so as to move in the respective passageways 28 until the desired numeral or price indicia appears in its proper place in the window 9.

. An electric light bulb 34 is removably received and retained in a suitable socket 35 for illuminating the price indicia 22 appearing in the window 9. The bulb 54 and socket 35 are maintained in approximately the center of the housing space 8 by means of a support post 36 which is, in the illustrated example, suitably secured to the housing lower walls 7 by means of a rivet 37. An electric wire 38 for supplying electric current to the bulb 34 extends from the socket 35, through the side wall 4 of the housing 2 and into a junction box and flashing mechanism 39 for periodically energizing and de-energizing the bulb 34 to aid in attracting the customers attention. The junction box 39 receives electrical power from a suitable source 40 and if desired, additional electrical wires 41 may extend therefrom to additional display devices whereby a single flasher unit and power source may illuminate and control a plurality of such devices.

The housing front wall 3 has a flange '42 bordering same and extending radially outwardly therefrom. The

flange 42 forms upper and lower grooves 43 and 44 respectively for a purpose now described. A card 45 having advertising indicia 46 thereon also has an opening 47 therein defined by spaced upper and lower edges 48 and 49 and spaced side edges 50 and 51. The card 45 is fabricated of a somewhat resilient or flexible and inexpensive material such as cardboard and contains cut portions such as 52 adjacent the corners formedby the intersecting edges 48, 49, 50, and 51 permitting a resilient increase in the size of the opening 47 for receiving the flange 42 thereinto. The upper and lower edges 48 and 49 respectively engage in the upper and lower grooves 43 and 44 for removably supporting the card 45 in framing position around the window 9.

It is to be understood that when it is desired to change the card 45, for example, so that the device will refer to a different product or display a new advertising slogan, it is only necessary to pull the card over the flange 42 and replace same with a new card in the manner described above.

The advertising device as described forms a sales tool for forcefully attracting the attention of prospective buyare to particular items on shelves, counters, or other displays and can be conveniently provided with sales information, suggestions or directions for use, and tends to make shopping easier, quicker or more interesting. The card 45 has been illustrated assubstantially rectangular in shape, however, it is to be understood that various special shapes may be chosen to help demonstrate or suggest a particular product so long as an opening 47 is included therein for receiving the flange 42. It is to be further understood that while one form of this invention has been illustrated and described, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for displaying price indicia related to goods for sale comprising in combination:

(a) a housing having a front wall, and an upper and a lower wall defining a space therein,

(b) a window in said housing front wall,

(a) means on said housing upper and lower walls for supporting said device,

(d) an elongated tape in said space,said tape being at leastpartially translucent and having a plurality of price indicia thereon, and V (e) a removable cage member in said housing, said cage member having a front wall normally adjacent said housing front wall, and an upper and lower wall extending rearwardly thereof,

(7) said cake member upper and lower walls respectively cooperating with said housing upper and lower walls for supporting said cage member in said housing, a

(g) said cage member front wall forming a passage-' Way with the rear face of said housing front wall for guiding said tape,

(11) said tape being sandwiched and frictionally, slidably held at upper and lower portions therealong respectively between said housing upper and cage upper Walls and said'housing lower and cage lower walls,

(i) the ends of said tape being positioned between said housing upper and lower walls.

2. The device of claim 1 including: i

(a) lighting means, means supported by said housing for supporting said lighting means between said, housing upper and lower walls for illuminating the.

price indicia appearing in said window, and a periodically interrupted electric supply source connected 70 to said lighting means for lighting means. 3. A device adapted to frictionally grasp a price tag periodically lighting said [5. moulding for displaying advertising and price indicia related to goods for sale comprising in combination:

(a) a housing of flexible synthetic resin having a front wall, side walls and an upper and a lower wall defining a space therein, 7

(b) a plurality of transparent windows in said housing front Wall,

(0) said housing upper and lower walls extending toward each other as they extend rearwardly of said housing front wall and terminating at the rear edge thereof in outwardly extending hook members adapted to be received in the price tag moulding for supporting said device, said housing being resiliently deformable for urging said hook members into and removing said hook members from the price tag moulding,

(d) a plurality of elongated self-rolling tapes in said space, said tapes being at least partially translucent and each having a plurality of price indicia thereon of substantially the same height as said windows, and

(e) a removable synthetic resin cage member in said housing, said cage member having a translucent front wall normally adjacent said housing front wall, and an upper and a lower wall extending rearwardly thereof,

(i) said cage member upper and lower walls being resiliently urged away from each other and resiliently cooperating respectively with said housing upper and lower wallsfor supporting said cage member in said housing,

(g) said cage member front wall having forwardly and vertically extending dividing strips forming passageways with the rear face of said housing front wall for separating and guiding said tapes while displaying selectcd price indicia in said windows,

(/1) said tapes being sandwiched and frictionally, slidably held at upper and lower portions therealong respectively between said housing upper and cage upper walls and said housing lower and cage lower walls,

(i) the ends of said tapes being spiralled upon themselves and positioned between said housing upper and lower walls.

4. The device of claim 3 including:

(a) a flange bordering said housing front wall and extending radially outwardly therefrom, said flange forming upper and lower grooves with said housing upper and lower walls, and

(b) a card having advertising indicia thereon related to said price indicia and an opening therein defined by spaced upper and lower and spaced side edges, cut portions adjacent said card edges permitting a resilient increase in the size of said opening for receiving said flange thereinto, said upper and lower edges engaging in said upper and lower grooves for removably supporting said card in framing position around said windows.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,272,394 7/18 Devney 40-331 2,337,685 12/43 Schepmoes 40130 X 2,563,580 8/51 Clark 4077 X 2,585,420 2/52 Ailes 40--5 X 2,924,902 2/60 Luck 40l30 3,014,294 12/61 Singer 40--5 FOREIGN PATENTS 811,318 4/59 Great Britain.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING PRICE INDICIA RELATED TO GOODS FOR SALE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A HOUSING HAVING A FRONT WALL, AND AN UPPER AND A LOWER WALL DEFINING A SPACE THEREIN, (B) A WINDOW IN SAID HOUSING FRONT WALL, (C) MEANS ON SAID HOUSING UPPER AND LOWER WALLS FOR SUPPORTING SAID DEVICE, (D) AN ELONGATED TAPE IN SAID SPACE, SAID TAPE BEING AT LEAST PARTIALLY TRANSLUCENT AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF PRICE INDICIA THEREON, AND (E) A REMOVABLE CAGE MEMBER IN SAID HOUSING, SAID CAGE MEMBER HAVING A FRONT WALL NORMALLY ADJACENT SAID HOUSING FRONT WALL, AND AN UPPER AND LOWER WALL EXTENDING REARWARDLY THEREOF, (F) SAID CAKE MEMBER UPPER AND LOWER WALLS RESPECTIVELY COOPERATING WITH SAID HOUSING UPPER AND LOWER WALLS FOR SUPPORTING SAID CAGE MEMBER IN SAID HOUSING, (G) SAID CAGE MEMBER FRONT WALL FORMING A PASSAGEWAY WITH THE REAR FACE OF SAID HOUSING FRONT WALL FOR GUIDING SAID TAPE, (H) SAID TAPE BEING SANDWICHED AND FRICTIONALLY, SLIDABLY HELD AT UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS THEREALONG RESPECTIVELY BETWEEN SAID HOUSING UPPER AND CAGE UPPER WALLS AND SAID HOUSING LOWER AND CAGE LOWER WALLS, (I) THE ENDS OF SAID TAPE BEING POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID HOUSING UPPER AND LOWER WALLS. 